Chapter 81

Aurora’s POV

My nerves spike as violet eyes find mine. For an old lady, she has a heavy, intimidating aura, especially when she narrows her eyes on me. I stand still, unable to move as her eyes run from my head down my body.

They flash a bright green, startling me and making me step back, which has me bumping right into Thorne’s chest. His hands find my waist, steadying me as the woman continues to look at me.

“This is the young lady in question?” Her surprisingly light voice asks. She sounds much younger than she looks, but maybe I’m just not used to things like this.

“Madame Maura, this is Aurora Roberts. Aurora, this is Madame Maura, the head witch of the Raven Azure, the largest coven in the world,” Mrs. Ashford introduces.

The older woman reaches out, taking my hand and squeezing it gently, “It’s nice to meet you, young one.”

“It’s nice to meet you too. Are… are you really able to read people to see who they’re related to?” I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me. I never thought something like this would be possible, but then again, I’ve never met a witch.

She smiles, “We’ll have to see, won’t we?”

Again, she pats my hand, before turning and bowing to Thorne. He nods in greeting and watches as she turns to Mrs. Ashford.

“Well, now. We should take this meeting to a private room, should we not?” Madame Maura asks. “Lead the way, Luna Ashford.”

The three of us follow behind Mrs. Ashford, and I take a moment to take a few deep breaths. Tonight could be the start of a whole new life for me, and what would that mean? If I am part of Mrs. Ashford’s family, how am I supposed to react to that?

I’ve only ever had one family, so gaining another would be strange. Plus, they’re Lycans, and I’m human. I’m not sure if I should get myself excited for something that probably isn’t possible.

“Everything will be fine,” Thorne whispers as we enter a small room. I squeeze his arm, needing the comfort that his touch always brings. I hope he’s right. Hopefully, I’ll get some answers tonight that will stop me from constantly wondering where I came from.

“Madame Maura, you can sit here,” Mrs. Ashford says, pulling out a comfy looking chair at the round table in the middle of the room. Madame Maura sits and motions to the chair across from her.

“Child, if you will.”

It takes me a moment to realize she’s talking to me, but when I do, I sit across from her and let her take my hands in hers again.

“Madame Maura, thank you, again, for coming all this way,” Mrs. Ashford says, bowing slightly. “My brother and I would like for you to—”

“Test this woman’s blood to see if there is a familial connection between your family and Aurora,” Madame Maura finishes for her.

A little shiver runs down my spine and goosebumps scatter across my skin. Can she read minds? I don’t want to ask, but I feel like I have my answer when Madame Maura looks at me in that instant.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

The witch hums lightly while digging around in a bag I hadn’t seen her carrying. She pulls out a few candles and settles them around the table. I watch as she whispers over each candle, flames flickering to life with her words, and I glance at Thorne.

Something sparks in the air, and I bite my tongue. Magic is real. She just lit those candles with a few words.

“Give me your hand, child.”

I lay my hand in Madame Maura’s outstretched palm and watch as she draws lines across my palm. The motion is soft and almost ticklish, but I don’t take my hand from her. She continues to hum and whisper, but her words are too low for me to understand.

Until she looks up.

“Your family line is a strong one, Aurora,” she tells me, tracing the longest line that creases my palm. “But it is a line long ago broken. The severance is one that cannot be put back together.”

“What does that mean? Is it because I was separated from my parents when I was a baby?”

She hums again, her eyes glowing bright blue as she continues to speak, “There is a strong fate line as well as a strong heart line, telling of a romance and love in the future.”

I can feel Thorne step closer behind me, but I don’t dare to look at him.

“There are many truths in your palm, but none tell me which family you belong to,” the witch murmurs, turning her eyes to mine. “However, your aura is a different story. Like your hair, it shines unique and bright, but there is something hidden deep down. Something untouchable beneath a steel shield.”

“A shield?” Mrs. Ashford questions, stepping closer. “Why would her aura be shielded if she was human?”

Madame Maura goes on, muttering under her breath, her eyes boring deeper into me. It’s almost as if she’s in a trance as she stares and whispers.

Then, she pauses and turns her gaze on Thorne.

“Release her, Alpha Thorne,” the witch snaps.

Suddenly, my hand drops to my side, and I look down. I didn’t even notice that he grabbed my hand, but clearly, Madame Maura had, and it bothered her. Thorne’s brows pull into a deep V as he takes one step back, but he stays close.

Thank you, I mouth. I know he’s staying close because he can sense I’m nervous.

You’re welcome.

“There is something hidden beneath the surface of this shield,” the witch continues. “I cannot make it out, but it is powerful and dormant. Has been dormant for far longer than it should have been.”

“Is it a wolf soul?” Mrs. Ashford asks quickly.

The witch’s head tilts slightly to the side, “I’m uncertain. The form is buried too far, but I will test her blood now. It will hopefully give us more answers.”

I stay quiet as she rummages through her bag; that is, until she pulls out a knife.

“What are you going to do with that?” I ask, scooting back. My chair almost knocks over, with me in it, and if it weren’t for Thorne, I would’ve hit the floor.

Does she really plan to use that on me? I thought she would prick my finger or something small.

My heart thunders between my ears, my blood rushing as the witch stands and walks toward me. Within seconds, Thorne is in front of me, standing protectively between me and the witch as I peek around his arm.

“I will need some of your blood,” the witch says, as if she isn’t wielding a weapon at me. “Now, step aside, boy. I don’t have time for foolishness.”

“You will not hurt her,” Thorne growls.

“Oh,” Madame Maura scoffs. “I’m just going to cut her palm, nothing to worry about. I will heal it after I get the blood I need.”

She motions for me to sit back down, and after a moment of hesitation, I walk around Thorne and sit back down. She sits across from me, takes my hand, and flips it over.

“This may sting.”

It’s all the warning I get before she swipes the blade across my palm. Blood pools, and she waves a hand over the injury. I gasp, watching as my blood begins to float.

A blue orb forms around my blood at the same time my palm starts to tingle. The cut on my palm closes up as the witch begins to whisper again.

For what seems like ages, the witch waves her hands around the glowing orb, muttering and whispering. We all lean closer, trying to make out what she’s saying, but we don’t have to wonder for long because the glowing orb turns to mist and evaporates into the air.

“Madame Maura?”

Her glowing eyes return to normal, and she turns to look at the three of us.

“Luna Ashford, I believe Aurora might be the girl you’ve been looking for, but to be certain, I will need to look further.”